Anthony Joshua stops Wladimir Klitschko to become unified heavyweight champion - as it happened
Round-by-round coverage of the biggest fight in British boxing history from Wembley Stadium.
- Anthony Joshua wins IBF and vacant WBA heavyweight titles by stopping Wladimir Klitschko in round 11.
- Post-war record crowd of 90,000 at Wembley for biggest fight in British boxing history.
- Wins for Joe Cordina, Katie Taylor and Luke Campbell on undercard.
- Who the celebrities are tipping to win Joshua vs Klitschko.
Round 11
Amazing! Anthony Joshua comes back from the dead, knocking Klitschko down twice and eventually the contest is called to a halt with the Briton unloading shots on the Ukrainian. The referee calls it off and Wembley goes mental. What a sluggfest and Joshua is the unified heavyweight champion.
Round 10
What a slug this is. Joshua is coming right back into it and a left hand almost sends Klitschko down for a second time. What a fight this is. Klitschko having to take some shots having turned defensive, perhaps in the hope he has already done enough to clinch the contest. They appear to butt heads at one stage during a tight end to the round. Two left.
Round nine
Joshua has his mouth guard back in, perhaps a sign he is recapturing a bit of energy. He may be muscle-bound but his endurance has been tested tonight. Klitschko is caught with two shots and now a third as he dominates the centre of the ring. Klitschko is moving like Roger Federer at Wimbledon, dancing on silk almost. Joshua is finding him slippery to say the least.
I have Klitschko up by two rounds, with two 10-8s in there too.
Round eight
Joshua has never boxed an eighth round in his professional career but here it comes. Kitschko again with more combinations, putting Joshua onto the back foot. Fair to say Joshua is more of a force however and throwing far more punches than the last two rounds. There is still a bambie on ice feel to the Londoner however. Klitschko's jabs proving metronomic and most importantly very successful. Joshua's jab is also a potent weapon, one he uses at the end of an even round.
Round seven
Joshua is very slow to his feet having been slumped in the corner, all-but beaten. Klitschko totally on top now though even he seems to be taking breath in this seven round. Wembley has good very quiet - like the England team are playing here - with Joshua very much on the ropes. Klitschko sits back on the jab, with a clear points advantage so far.Joshua barely throwing a punch as he searches for a second wind. Not until 15 seconds before the bell does he unload a right hand, but he doesn't hurt his opponent.
Round six
Anthony Joshua down for the first time in his career! Joshua loses his mouth guard - a sign he is tiring. Klitschko is dictated now and Joshua is almost off his feet. He is stumbling around the ring now. Surely this can't last much longer. Joshua gets to the bell but he is all over the place.
Round five
Joshua is behind on rounds and he comes out swinging and eventually connects, sending Klitschko to the canvass. Joshua celebrates, but it is premature as Klitschko is abck on his feet. The Ukraine continues to be tagged and he is all over the place. Now Joshua looks punched off his feet and Klitschko is coming back, connecting with right hands.
Round four
Klitschko starts the fourth as he did the second, with a big fright hand which almost downs Joshua. The London 2012 comes back with a handful of right hands which Klitschko absorbs. A right hook follows and Klitschko is now in trouble, yet he reasserts himself. Very good fight in the making here.
Round three
Big left hand from Joshua which Klitschko sucks up. Every time the champion comes forward he is desperate to take evasive action - a sign as if there was need for one that he is worried about the power of the home favourite. Klitschko's left arm has dropped and he does not have the control of the second round. Very much an ebb and flow contest.
Round one
Klitschko employing the jab from the outset and dominating the centre of the ring. The Ukrainian is taking evasive action whenever Joshua comes forward. Few combinations do find their mark from Joshua. At least twice Klitschko tries the 'jab and grab' technique which has underlined his most recent fights.
Very even first round, but Joshua probably edges it.
An amazing noise greets the champion, Anthony Joshua of Watford, England. An intro video which catalogues his whole career is played on the six big screens across the stadium before the IBF champion emerges from the tunnel.
Decked all in white, Joshua begins his walk to the ring taking the same route as Klitschko. A compilation plays on the sound-system, including the White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army'. - the soundtrack to every chant in global sport. The letters AJ go up in flames as Joshua is lifted above the adoring crowd. He's milking every single second.
Following relatively short intro video, Klitschko appears all in black - a robe which has a USB stick sown into it with a prediction of the fight. 'Can't Stop' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers booms out of the PA and the Ukraine is on his way to the ring. He's not heading directly to the ring mind, and is doing a near full lap of Wembley.
For those of you who are not boxing connoisseurs, every event have what is called 'floaters' - fights which are not in the official running order but are worked into the schedule as and when. Among those were meant to be both Josh Kelly and Lawrence Okolie, but due to the Quigg-Simion bout going the distance neither will get the chance to showcase their talent at Wembey. Okolie is not happy, and you can understand why.
None other than the WBC champion Deontay Wilder will be ringside tonight. The American had an an angry exchange with Tony Bellew last night, which you can read about here. The pair are now side-by-side again on Sky Sports. Not having to be kept apart, just yet.
Back to the main event, and if you still need an insight into the magnitude of this fight then the presence of US broadcasters Showtime and HBO - who are both showing the bout - means this fight hosted in Britain has global significance. Over 140 countries are taking in this fight, while Sky Sports Box Office are expected to break records for purchases.
Footage of the wrapping of Anthony Joshua hands has just flashed up on the big screen at Wembley, to the delight of the many thousands who have made the early trip to the home of English football.
Observing the wrap is a representative from Klitschko's team - none other than brother Vitali. The Mayor of Kiev has previously advised Joshua but is firmly in his brother's camp tonight. He might very well need it.
We're already well underway at Wembley and more than half-way through the undercard. There have been wins already for Olympic champions Katie Taylor - who has claimed her first pro title - and Luke Campbell after he stopped an injured Darleys Perez. Joe Cordina was also victorious in the first bout of the night, in front of the Wembley groundsman and his dog.
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." - William Shakespeare
Is tonight the evening when Anthony Joshua goes from humble British boxing star, to global icon? After an explosive start to his professional career - riding on the crest of a wave after winning Team GB's final gold medal at London 2012 - the Watford-born fighter faces his greatest test in the form of Wladimir Klitschko.
The Ukraine may be 41 years old and a veteran of nearly 70 fights, but he has revenge on his mind having had his tight grip on the heavyweight division ended by Tyson Fury over 500 days ago. Klitschko has been inactive since then, but insists he is "obsessed" by the idea of becoming a world champion for a third time.
This is nothing short of the biggest boxing event Great Britain has ever seen, and we'll have updates from Wembley throughout an action-packed night including round-by-round coverage of the main event [hopefully] from around 10pm BST.
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